The present invention relates generally to downhole tools of the type used in oil and gas wells and, specifically, to an adapter kit of the type used to attach a setting tool to a well packer.
Well packers are downhole tools which include gripping members for engaging a surrounding well conduit such as a well casing and a seal member which is expandable between the packer body and surrounding well conduit to isolate a zone in the well bore in order to treat or produce from the isolated zone. Conventional packers of the type under consideration are set either mechanically, hydraulically, or by means of a wireline setting tool, or by a combination of these setting techniques. The particular setting technique used depends in part upon the well conditions encountered. For instance, in deviated well bores, a hydraulically actuated packer might advantageously be employed.
In the wireline setting tool actuated packer, the packer and setting tool are lowered to the desired depth on a wireline conducting cable. To set the packer, an electrical signal is transmitted to the setting tool which sets off an explosive charge causing the setting tool inner mandrel and outer setting sleeve to move in opposite relative directions to set the packer. Once the packer is set, the setting tool is retrieved to the well surface so that production operations or well testing operations can be commenced. The conventional wireline set packer is, therefore, typically provided with an adapter kit for attaching the setting tool to the packer which adapter kit allows the setting tool to be released after setting the packer so that the setting tool can be retrieved. Prior adapter kits of the type used to attach a setting tool to a well packer have been overly complicated and expensive to manufacture.
There exists a need for an adapter kit for a wireline setting tool which is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture and which is reliable in operation.
There also exists a need for such an adapter kit which would be automatically released after setting the packer for retrieval to the surface without the need for additional manipulative steps prior to retrieval.
There also exists a need for such an adapter kit which permits assembly of the packer and setting tool without the necessity of rotating either major component.